Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-28
THE BRIDE OF ARNE SAND
STROM,
BY " III. CATHERwOOD.

Prom Harper's Bazar
big swede wedding over there this evening, y
said one American TO another by his side. peter
Lund's daughter"
SIS she marrying swede?" inquired the second
American
yes; fellow by the name OF Arne SandStrom"
81 should think Old Peter, well OF as he is, would
have stood up for an American son-in-law-you or
me, for instance observed the second youth with
a laugh
''The girls pretty as pink, and has had every
!Hdvantage- II is pity TO see her thrown away
but Old Peter has lot OF younger ones coming
s. THAT makes it less an object. / thought she
rU ) his only. The Swedes are clannish-aint
"Isy?"
opir Peter Lund's is headquarters for them, too
ui - res one how, hunting up the wedding. Ill oet
mars Just arrived from the old country
acve near the truth this surnise that Elsa had
'Nn OF the train only twenty minutes. anu ia
MI time had repeated the name of Arne SAND
~ N interrOgatively To every person she met
canr was dazed by long riding and partlai l'stns,
Kind the dumb terror OF finding no one 10 receive
IS AT the end OF her great Journey Inc etter
m ated with much brain work 10 announce ner
ger ming ought 10 have been in his hands weeks
q o. The innocent and friendess soul dld not
Know she had omitted all dates ana eAdctISSS III
her general care for speiilng ana ihky loopS- 80;
sstepping of the train into the American small
TOW AZ dusk she saw stretches OF summer prairie
stO the westward perky architecture crossing ralI-
road tracks hurryfng citizens and lazy ioungers-
even the new electric light on Its spIderwOrk iron
tower beginning 70 make CHASTITY powerful star
far above her head She saw baggage and piles
OF express matter, hotel runners and other women
Starring toward their assured homes tucked laugh
ing and chatting under their husbands arms; but
she saw not one face or one kind hand ready to bid
her welcome, who had ventured thousands or miles
al0ne-acrCss ocean, across cOntinent-to marry
her beIlrOthed lover, ATne S2ndStrOm.
Hearing his name spoken, she stood still upon
the sidewalk, shrinking and tinid, but directly In
front of the young meD, and inquired, using hands
and eyes as we'll as anxious infection OF voice,
4-ATne SandStrOInr'
..She wants TO know where he is" explained one
American 20 the other. fright over there; that
big house, he returned. talking also with geS-
lures where you see it lighted up. She doesn't
understand Arne Sandstrom over there. Getting
married, Yes. yes Arne SandStrOm. Here, Billy,
You trot out little Swede gibberlsh, can't you?
You've been among them more than have"
ANNE Sandstrom derorer," exclaimed the other,
pointing 10 Peter Lunds house, with fine as
sumption OF handling the Language well. "Arne
CandSJrom tytd tonight, you know"
''Yntal" said Elsa, shrinking down in stature.
''She's got hold OF It,: That's all right. You'll
be in time for the wedding"
..She didn't understand; and she thought we
We're making fun OF her." said one OF the lads as
they Sauntered on.
she Ola understand, and there she goes straight
across the steet. Brush up in the languages,
Young man. and make yourself as useful 10 the
When Elsa mad entered the Lund premises, how
ever, she did not ring the bell, but wayered
around the house, looking up at the lighted WIN
dows and shifting her little bundle from one arm to
the other She had other baggage at the station.
but il seemed no longer worth while. There was
western veranda, on the lowest step OF which
she sat down N quiet Stupor TO collect herself
Tor some determined movement.
Anguish and disappointment must be the natu-
raj lot In this world only she had not lived enough
years 10 find ii out before. Though summer dark
ness had come, the afteT-glOw was still so bright
In the west that 1t half quarreled with abundant
lamp light. Elsa could hear the frJnt gate, the
crunch OF coming footsteps and frequent peals Of
The door bell, as she sat drawn together, and the
eternal minutes travelled on.
Peter Lund's house was full OF joyful stir. China
and silver tfnkled in the open dining room, where
several women were putting last touches to the
tables Girls flew up and down the back stairway
calling 20 one another In swedish.
zone thing Is sure. Ienne IonSen," called a
voice In the home tongue there Will not be enough
married women TO take the bride from Us girls in
the wedding dance; so now what will Arne Sand
Three OF them eonspired together BY the western
dining room door, bobbing their faxen heads, ali
laughing and talking Ut once in their light happi-
hess. Tar above the unseen stranger on the step.
Who told me Arne SandStrOm LETT a betrOthed
girl In Svaf1a? said one, lowering her voice 10
graver cofOquy-
"Oh well, She married herself, of course, re-
lund would take her.
"Lena's 50 pretty
"LenaS rich
"Lena has ten new dresses. Arne will not have
10 put his hand In his pocket for many a day"
'-She Is not spoiled Herewith. / always liked
her"
An, mother S3Iu III t0fS wedding was going
10 be In Svadla this ST. Johns Eve, what night
We would make Of IT."
They ran away, while Elsa repeated to herself
that this was the Eve OF ST. JOhn-night OF arbOrs
and rejoicing at home, night when the scarcely
went down, and everybody toasted and visited
under green-leaf tents. OF what use was St Johns
Eve or any other portion OF time TO a girl put 10
shame and despair as she wase Why mad Arne
SandstrOm sent her money TO come over with II he
meant 10 jill her on her arrival. Or had he picked
another betrOChed for her well hiInsefe
she would not believe her Arne could be so
a~fI. -H.l
was 80 kind, he loved her. Yet not only the
Amerikanns, but those laughing girls, had said
plainly this was Arne SandstrOm's wedding: any
man would take Lena Lund who could get her;
Lena was so pretty: Lena was rich: Lena could
sing and play better than some Americans;
Lena hal ten new dresses and she was spoiled.
Elsa bruised her cheek against the edge OF the
second step above her. She did not know where
To go. and her money was all spent except the lit
Tie she had saved by going without food during
part of her railway Journey. and she had saved
that 10 buy some little ornament for her new home
with Arne- Sine might try TO hire herself out but
how could she ever write back home where such
happy news was expected from her. or how could
she put uncomfortable anxiety upon those best
friends by hot writing at ali: Svadia was 80 pleas
ant especially in the long nightless summers
Coed and KIND they were 10 strangers there; her
coffee 10 the morning BEDSIDE of guest. She could
sc her native meadows stretching away In the
blue Northern air, and the iron whip, as her
mother called the scythe, beating up an appetite
IN those who Welded IL, while she herself care
Lss little maid, came bearing the second breakfast
u the mowers.
\ quayer1n-5 but hearty voice, which might have
come from The mouth Of her own grandmother if
II had not belonged 10 Peter Lund's mother, sung
out I2pp-Finn nurse song by upper window,
and Elsa knew just what SyllableS the dancing
baby was made 10 emphasize.
-Donsa Iupoc,
EOlsOm tup an,
Lzuu ira.
HOpsDIn stira:
SprVnu Upon. Upon,
Hvpsom tup an tup an,
Lanu Ira, Liza.
HOpsoM stir2- stira"
Dance and Jump.
Hop like rooster,
Hop like the skAtau-
Perhaps this very inStant-fOr Elsa made no cal.
citations In longitude and time-vader's mutter
danced the baby under her home roof; and none OF
her people knew how faint, how outcaSt, how be-
wiIiered the eldest child felt sitting steps In
strange AmertkanSk town.
In ElsaS box Of clothing was the finest sheep
skin blanket her mother ever made so white liz
fleece, ana cured by buIJer1ng and scraping until
the skin yielded soft like channels leather. It was
lined with scarlet flannel She could See the store
room OF her fathers farmhouse hung thickiy with
Elsa could take more, since they had so little
money 10 send with ner- But Arne Sandstrom haC
sent the money 20 pay her way, because he loved
her 80. They were children together, and he was
held as dear as q son in her own family. ElSa's
mother never dtstrusted him. How could 10 there
fore be possible that Arne Sandstron, after send